Chapter 1:

The streets were deserted, save for the few brave men and women who had the courage to venture into the last few remaining stores that remained opened in Diagon Alley. Store after store, the once lively stalls of merchants far and wide ceased to exist. Planks of rotten wood boarded up once colorful windows, while the years of neglect had left some places become caked in dust and dirt. There were some stores that were in such poor condition that I could only assume the Death Eaters were behind in its cause.

I sighed. Walking down Diagon Alley used to be full of life and laughter. Now, it was desolate and dreary. Those who did linger dared not to look in my direction for they feared their own lives.

And they rightfully should.

After the fall of Dumbledore, my family made known to the wizarding world as faithful followers to the Dark Lord. It was only a matter of time that I was led to believe that the Dark Lord would save us all, and it was inevitable that I'd one day bear the Dark Mark on my forearm.

I unconsciously touched my sleeve, where it hid the snake and skull that has now forever branded me to our cause for a better world.

I stopped in front of a tattered building that used to see better days. I looked up at its structure and could almost imagine the whole house come crumbling down if I kicked the timber posts. I took out my wand and carefully stepped on the door that now laid flat on its back.

The darkness absorbed all morning light that came from the sky. The smell was almost revolting. Rot and stink filled my lungs and it took every ounce of me not to hurl out my morning breakfast. I cover my mouth with my free hand, and raised my wand waiting for an attack.

"Lumos'' I quietly muttered. A small orb of white light appeared at the tip of my wand and I squinted my eyes to adjust to my surroundings.

Slowly, I could see a room that had been aggressively destroyed. There was broken glass all over the floor, as shelves had been pushed down to the ground. Numerous wooden chairs had been turned over, while pieces of fabric had gently draped over them. The walls were barren and I could faintly see the outlines of portraits that were once hung.

I turned around and slightly grimaced at the sight of lingering rats that wanted to finish its meal of rotting fruits. I waved my wand and the rodents had quickly scurried away by the threat of light.

I took a chair and quietly sat down, once more looking at the room.

Well, interesting location for a meeting, I thought.

I looked at my watch. Half past eight thirty.

I was on time, but where was the other party?

Ripples of black smoke suddenly appeared before my eyes and slowly revealed the forms of two other Death Eaters holding up who I presumed another member of the Order. I stared at the hunched male figure that was currently being held up by his elbows.

"Sorry we're late. We were a little tied up, as you can see."

My lips formed a small frown and I stared at the silver masks that hid the identity of the voice. Personally, I thought those masks were pointless and was a symbol of fear and cowardice among us. Most of us used to wear them in the early days of the war, mostly to avoid being identified in the public. But nowadays, the war had easily become part of normal life and slowly, the masks begun to disappear. All of a sudden, we became proud of who we were and what we represented. We weren't afraid of Potter or his allies, because we believed we were the victors.

The mask allowed me to assume that this Death Eater was a recent addition to our army. ''Take that mask off,'' I said with distaste. "Followers of the Dark Lord should not hide cowardly behind such filth."

Quickly, his arm went to the mask in lightening speed to reveal a young face that barely reached adulthood. I kept my face straight at him, but I chuckled inside. Though this Death Eater was at least a head taller than me, his face spelt naivety and ignorance.

"You needn't scold him like that, Riesling."

I instantly recognized the voice and smirked in amusement. "I wasn't scolding, Bellatrix."

She undid her own mask and walked around the young Death Eater in question and seductively placed her hands on his shoulders. "He's eager to please the Lord, Victoria. Days after he swore loyalty, he's already caught a member of the Order."

The boy light up at hearing such a well-seasoned, slightly psychotic, but respected fellow Death Eater praise his success. I let out a small chuckle under and looked expectantly at my female counterpart. Her dark eyes had a hint of mischief and amusement as her fingers dug into the cloak of the boy.

I raised a brow at her, amused by her antics. Don't tease the boy, Bellatrix.

Bellatrix had an infamous reputation among us. As one of the first and most faithful followers of the Dark Lord, most new followers respected her out of fear and admiration. Her time in Azkaban was rumoured to be the cause of her slightly psychotic and bizarre antics, which she never seemed to deny nor admit. Over the years, the rumours turned into infamous legends and were eventually used to rouse the morale of younger recruits.

I never feared Bellatrix Lestrange. No, I had aspired to be her one day. My once younger self wanted to be everything she embodied and more. I admired her loyalty. I respected her power. From the first time I threw a dark curse, she became my mentor and comrade, and in turn she grew to respect me as a strong and powerful witch. Without her, I would have never earned the Dark Lord's favour, nor be in the position I am in today. Merlin, you could say I owed her my life.

"Has he been proven to be a member of the Order? Or have you just desperately hexed a poor old man off the road?" I questioned.

This time the boy spoke. "I overheard this man talking about rescuing some of the others that have already been captured. If he's not a member, he's certainly in league with them."

I looked up at this boy and was impressed with his passion and eagerness. I gave him a small smile of approval. "You are certainly loyal to the cause of our war. What's your name boy?"

"Walker. Thomas Walker," he confidently said.

I absently nodded as I crouched down and lifted the head of the accused blood-traitor that was currently unconscious. Pathetic weakling, I told myself.

"Our young Walker here hasn't performed the Cruciatus curse yet. I called you here to today, so you can show him how an interrogation is properly done. He's been eager to meet you, Riesling. Your famous with the younger ones."

I looked at her with annoyance as she purposely emphasized her last few words. I knew she did it on purpose. Partly out of jealously, partly out of jest and partly because that's how she spoke. Nevertheless, I was flattered that I received this barely passable compliment from someone like Bellatrix Lestrange.

I stood up straight and waved my wand to bring up a chair. Gesturing Thomas Walker to place the accused on the chair, I flicked my wand again to awake the man from his slumber.

Groggily, the man started to moan and his head began to slowly sway from side to side. "Now young Thomas Walker, observe carefully." I said.

I flicked my wand again, and the man immediately became immobilized. His eyes looked at me with growing fear, as he registered his surroundings. "Pl-please, let me g-go…" he whimpered.

"If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear," I casually said.

"I don't kn-know no-nothing," he stuttered, "I'm n-n-not w-w-ith them!"

I took a step back and flicked my wand again. All of a sudden the man's face was contorted with pain, and it was only a second later that the room was engulfed by his screams.

The young Death Eater gasped in perhaps shock and surprise. "The body's inability to physically react to the pain puts more stress to the mind," I stated.

A flick of my hand once more, and the screams became louder.

I turned towards the younger Death Eater, "Everybody has a breaking point. An interrogation is to find out what and when that is. We must find their weakness and use it against them. We must break them until they become compliant. If they refuse, then we must resort to more permanent means."

"Permanent?" he questioned.

It was Bellatrix to laugh at his naivety. "We put them out of their misery," she piped in.

I pursed my lips, but continued, "To use the Cruciatus curse, you must mean it. You must boil all the anger and hate you have and use it. Only then will the receiver will experience pain."

The boy seemed to lose a little colour as he tried to absorb the information. I frowned at this. He was just a boy – a scared, frighten little boy whose been led to believe and worship all the ideals and philosophies of the Dark Lord. No person this young should have to witness this sort of torture.

But then again, I was barely a woman before I swore loyalty. Who was I to speak of such hypocrisy?

I flicked my wand again and this time, I fuelled my annoyance at the man. Once more, his screams and cries filled the room. I slightly cringed as the high-pitches threatened to pierce my eardrums.

Walking up to him I whispered, "Tell us what you've been up to, and I can make the pain all go away."

He whimpered and though he couldn't move his body, I could tell he was trying to shrink away from me. "Ppple-ease….I do-don't know an-nything…."

I turned to Thomas Walker. "You try."

I saw him gulp and take a step forward. He raised his wand reluctantly and pointed it at the man.

The man's eyes widened with fear. "St-st-stop…pl-please…," he whispered.

I saw Thomas Walker's eyes filled with pity at the man. I saw the tears that threatened to fall out of his eyes. I saw the fear that drained the colour of his face.

"Do it," urged Bellatrix.

I sighed and looked down with disappointment. I knew he wouldn't do it. Thomas Walker was just a boy, after all. He didn't know the hardships of what a Death Eater went through. He has no idea what emotions we've had to sacrifice in order to perform without remorse. He was clueless to the Dark Arts and our ways. No, he was too young to become a full-fledged Death Eater.

Today, I will spare him from performing an unforgivable act. Today, I will let him continue to live as a naïve boy and his ideals.

I put my arm gently on his forearm and lowered his wand. "Perhaps, another time Thomas Walker," I began to explain, "you are not mentally ready for this. I see it in your eyes."

His shoulders slumped in relief as I saw the tension melt away in his eyes. I absently watched Bellatrix take over my interrogation and proceeded to torture the man in her own sadistic ways.

As the man's screams once more engulfed the room, he whispered to me, "How do you do it without…guilt?

I turned to him and looked him in the eyes. "We accept we're already dead, Thomas. The day you swore loyalty, you sacrifice everything you have to the Lord – even your own life and soul. Nothing belongs to us, Thomas. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you won't be able to feel."

I looked at him sadly and continued, "Until you are ready to accept that swearing loyalty to our cause means losing your very soul, you won't be able to fight for us."

He kept his eyes at the ground and kicked the dirt on the floor. "What about you? They tell me you were about my age when they recruited you. What makes you so special?"

I noted the bitterness in his voice, but chose to ignore it. "Unlike you Thomas Walker, I had no choice. I was born into it, raised by it and expected to follow it. I accepted my chosen fate a long, long time ago. I was dead before I even realized I lived. That is the difference."

I turned back to the man and gestured Bellatrix to stop. I raised my own wand and pointed it steadily into the man's chest.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light exploded from the tip of my wand as I witnessed death consume the man.

I blankly stared at the now lifeless body and looked back at a grief-stricken Thomas Walker. He looked to me in horror and fear, as I could hear Bellatrix laugh hysterically in the echoes.

I could not react to his emotions, for I had none to give. "What did you expect Thomas?" I asked.

He gave me no answer. His held up his hands and with a snap of his fingers, he apparated into thin air.

Bellatrix kicked the motionless body of the man whose name I will never know nor will care to know. "Shame," she casually said. "I was beginning to like young Walker."

I grunted at her careless comments. I knew what was to be done next. If predicted correctly, Thomas Walker would not be allowed to walk out from our side. In two days time, he'll be branded at a traitor and will be found dead by the Order.

I laughed bitterly to myself. The ideals and philosophies were dead; it had its moments of glory but the act of war had consumed them. Now it was a matter of winning and ending this bloody mess.

Everybody has a breaking point. The words lingered in my head.

I wonder - what was mine?

A/N: Feedback, please?